Sunday, June 16, 2013

Sunday Stills: One Tree Hill, Auckland, New Zealand.

The obelix monument is on top of One Tree Hill extinct volcano. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Tree_Hill,_New_ZealandThe monument and the one tree were one of Auckland's most obvious landmark. However, the One tree Hill has become None tree Hill. Tourists often ask this question ,"Why is it called One Tree Hill, when there is no tree?"Until 2000, a radiata pine tree stood next to the obelisk. This tree (one of two pines) had been planted to replace a sacred Māori Totara tree, the tree which had given Maungakiekie its English name. This totara had been cut down by a white settler in 1852 for firewood.However, in the early 1960s during a jamboree, a group of overseas Boy Scouts cut down one of the two newer pines. The remaining tree was later attacked twice with chainsaws by Māori protesters (partly because it was not a native New Zealand species and thus considered an insult). The first attack happened on 28 October 1994, the anniversary of the 1835 Declaration of Independence.[2] A second attack on the 5th of October 2000[3] left the tree unable to recover and so it was removed due to the risk of it dying and falling down.http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/One-Tree-Hill,-New-Zealan

This is a place of reverence and sacred memorial place for both the Maoris and Pakehas. But some people have no respect. They deface the place with graffitti and broken beer bottles. They harrass visitors. Now alcohol is banned at nightand the police checks the place frequently.

This challenge will be both a difficult and informative challenge. I almost feel like a history teachergiving out homework but hey, next week we will all learn something new. So for this challenge we are looking for historical sites, markers or monuments.